Gun owners deserve more privacy, O.C. official says

Assembly Bill 134, dubbed the Family Protection Act, would prohibit law enforcement agencies from releasing personal information, like addresses or phone numbers, about firearm owners under the California Public Records Act.

Right now, because the release of that information isn't expressly banned, it's theoretically accessible through a public records request, said Saulo Londoño, Mansoor's spokesman.

The bill would "extend the protection of privacy" that police officers and legislators already have, Mansoor said in a statement.

"For the same reason that I believe in certain limits and regulations to gun ownership, I also believe in protecting the privacy of law-abiding citizens," he said. "There is no reason for us to provide criminals with a list of who does/does not choose to protect their household by carrying a firearm."

Names of gun owners would still be public record, Londoño said, and law enforcement officers would still have access to addresses for safety reasons.

Londoño said Mansoor was spurred to action after hearing reports of the New York newspaper that published a map showing the names and addresses of area handgun permit holders.

Mansoor, he said, "considers this — giving that information out — basically the same as giving criminals a shopping list."

The bill is expected to make its way to the Assembly's Public Safety Committee for consideration.